Flag or similar mounting for aerials



. J. C. SHEPHERD 'FLAG OR SIMILAR MOUNTING F'QR AERIALS Filed Aug. 21. 1941 INVENTOR JZMQZ 3g epliid.

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 15, 1944 UN TED STATES PA N OFFICE FLAG on SIMILAR MOUNTING FOR AERIALS James C. Shepherd, Kansas City, Mo. 3 A plication August 2 1, 1941, Serial No. 407,761 I j i 6 Claims. (01. 116-173) This invention relates to a-mounting for attachment of a flag, pennant or banner to an automobile aerial, and has for its principal object to provide a simple and inexpensivedevice of this character which is readily applied and removed, and which does not interfere with telescoping of the aerial sections.

. Another object of the invention is to provide a flag mounting formed'of spring Wire or equivalent material arranged to effect a frictional grip upon an aerial incidental to application thereof so that it may be located in any selected position thereon. Further objects of the invention are to provide a flag mounting applicable to inclined aerials; to provide 'a flag mounting with means for ready attachment of a flag or other banner so that it is displayed at the desired angle Without fouling on the aerial or mounting; and to provide a mounting that is adjustablefor accommodating flags of different depth. 1

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, as hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved structure, the preferred. forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein: V

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a flag mounting constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing application thereof to an automobile aerial.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the flag mounting as applied to the aerial.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the flag mounting prior to application of a flag.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the invention, particularly adapted for inclined aerials.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a further modified form of flag mounting, the stafi portion of which is adjustable for flags of different depth. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the upper section of the modified form of mounting shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the links for attaching a flag or other banner to the mounting.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

l designates a flag or like mounting constructed in accordance with the present invention. In the illustrated instance the mounting I is formed of spring wire to provide a resilient stafi portion 2 of slightly greater length than the depth of the flag or banner 3 supported thereby, as later described. The wire at the ends of the staff portion is bent to form eyes 4 and 5 and the ends of the wire continue substantially in the plane of the staff after formation of the eyes. The terminal end 6 of the upper eye 4 is bent laterally as at 1 to provide a short angularly extending bar portion 8, terminating in a bend 9 forming a bar'portion 10 extendin in the opposite direction and terminating in the extended axis of the stafi 2in a reverse bend l l forming a downwardly extend ing'angular bar portion l2, parallel with the portion 2 and terminating in an angular bend l3 forming a bar portion l4 substantially parallel with the bar portion l0 and which terminates ina reverse bend l5 forming a terminal bar portion I6 substantially coextensive with the bar portion 8, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The bends thus form a parallelogram-shaped head portion with the bends II and. I5 forming seats I1 and I8 curved to engage frictionally the aerial I 9 on which the mounting is tobe attached, as later described. The end of the wire forming the lower eye 5 extends a short distance in a plane parallel with the axis of the stall and terminates in a right angular bend 20, which, in turn, is bent to form a hook 2! located in a plane extending transversely of the axis of the st-afi 2.

The flag or banner 3 may be of any conventional design and is attached to the eyes 4 and 5 by means of safety pins or links 22, each of substantially elongated loop-shaped form having rounded ends 2324, a side bar 25 and connecting bars 26 and 21. The bar portion 26 terminates in a hook 28 which engages the free end of the bar 21, as shown in Fig. '7. The eyes 4and 5 are spaced apart a sufficient distance relatively to the depth of the flag so that the links 22 are positioned at an angle for maintaining required spread of the flag,

In attaching the flag or banner 3, the bar 21 is disengaged from the hook 28 and the end is extended through the fabric of the flag in the corner thereof, after which the hook end 28 is passed through the eye 4. The bar 21 is then reengaged with the hook 28 to complete attachment of the upper corner of the flag. The lower corner of the flag is secured in a similar manner to the eye 5.

In applying the device to the aerial, the parallelogram shaped head is passed over the front of the aerial with the eyes in trailing position. The stafi portion of the device is then swung laterally so that the aerial is caused to pass between the end l6 and the bar portion 8 of the head until the terminal end l6 passes the mast. The staff portion is then swung rearwardly until the end I6 clears the aerial, whereupon the stafi portion is moved toward parallel relation with the aerial which engages the seat II with the front portion of the aerial, and the seat IS with the rear portion of the aerial, as shown. in Fig. 2, and. placing the head in a bind on the aerial. Then when the lower free end of the staff is moved toward the aerial to engage the hook 2| therewith, a bow is imparted in the stafi portion of the mounting, exerting a spring action therein, causing the seats 15 and H to engage frictionally the aerial on the respective sides thereof and to retain the hook in engagement with the aerial as shown in Fig. 2. The mounting is thus retained in the applied position by friction imparted incidental to slight bowing of the staff 2 so that it is retainedin any selected elevation relative to the aerial.

If it is desired to change the position of the mounting on the aerial, this is readily effected by releasing the hook end 2| to relieve tension on the head portion, whereupon the wire may be freely moved along the aerial. When the hook is again engaged, the spring action of the staff will retain the device in its newly selected .position.

Should the flag be attached to the upper section of the aerial and it is desired to collapse the aerial, the upper section carrying the flag is merely slid into the lower section, and when the hook end engages the upper end of the next lower section of the aerial, it slides freely'thereover.

In order that the fiag may be displayed at the proper angle on inclined aerials, as shown in Fig. 4, the lower end of the stair section is provided with a laterally extending arm 29, of suflicient length to maintain the staff in perpendicular position when the hook 30 on the terminal end of the arm is engaged with the mast, as shown in Fig. 4.

In. order that flags of various size maybe applied to the device, I have shown a modified form of stafi in Figs. 5 and 6,,composed ofvupper and lower sections 3| and 32, the upper section having an eye 33 similar to the eye 4, and the 'efiected in the staff section retains the hooks 31 in engagement with the'selective crimps to maintain the desired length of staff.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a fiag mounting or the like that is of simple, inexpensive construction, and which is readily attached and adjusted uponanalll-Qmobile .aerial.

While I haveparticularly described my improved mountingas applied to an aerial, it is obvious that it may be applied to any taut rope,

wire, or rod, and used iorattaching advertising banners, various ,markers, or the like, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with .an inclined aerial, a

- having juxtaposed crimped portions, and means 1 stafi formed of spring material and having a head adapted for frictionally engaging the aerial and having an arm at its lower end terminating in a hook engaging the aerial and cooperating with the head in retaining the staff in vertical position, said head being shaped to space the hook from the aerial when only the head is engaged whereby a spring action is imparted in the stair when the hook is engaged with the aerial.

2. A mounting of thecharacter described including, a section having a head adapted to frictionally engage an aerial,'a lower section having means adapted to engage the aerial, said sections on the respective sections to engage the crimps of the other section for adjustably connecting said sections.

3. A flag mounting of the character described including, a spring metal staff comprising adjustably connected sections, one of said sections having a head adapted to rrictionally engage an aerial with said staff projecting outwardly from the aerial a t an angle when only the headis engaged with the aerial, and a hook on the other section adapted to engage the aerialto cooperate with thehead in imparting a spring action in said staff.

4. A flag mounting for an aerial including, a staff formed of substantially spring metal, means on the respective ends of the staff arranged to frictionally engage the aerial and having shape to impart a slight bow in the staff when said aerial engaging means is engaged with the aerial to enhance frictional contact of said engaging means, and spaced means on the staff intermediate said aerial engaging means for attaching a flag.

5. A flag mounting for an aerial including, a spring wire staflja 'head on one end of the staff and having aerial engaging portions on opposite sides thereof and spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the staff to cause the opposite end of the stall to extend at an angle relatively to the aerial when said portions are engaged with the aerial, a-hook on the opposite end of the staff to engage the aerial and imparta slight ;bow' in thejstafi when said end of the staff 'is 'broughtjtoward the aerial and thehook engaged with the aerial, and'spaced eyesin the stair intermediate. said ead and hook for attaching a flag. j

6. A flag mounting :for an aerial including, a spring wire fstaff, ags ubstantially rectangular head formed on the staffby'bending said wire andarranged .with a diagonal thereof extending substantially in the'longitudinal direction of'-;the staiT whereby the corners of said -h ea d fprm seats ior engaging opposite sides of an aerial withqthestafi extending outwardly at 'an'angle' tothe aerial when only thehead is engagedwith theaerial, a hookiormed on the other end of the wire to engage said aerial for effecting-a spring action in the staff after the hook i engaged with the aerial, and means onthe stall in; termediate said hook and head to attach a flag.

- JAMES C. SHEPHERD. 

